Meetings

As an action-oriented coalition, we do not ever wish to become meeting-heavy in a burdensome way. If ever any of us is faced with the decision whether to make a meeting or make an actual event, we should always feel encouraged to skip the meeting. That said, few things are of higher importance than strategy, planning, and communication – plus it’s actually good for us to spend a little time together in person, believe it or not. So far, our meetings have been enjoyable affairs, and we aim to keep it that way.

As Light a Burden as Possible

Full group meetings should be held more than once very two weeks only under unusual circumstances. On the other end of the scale, NHSC will hold a full group meeting no less than once per month.

Accommodating Geographic Diversity – Virtual Meetings

Most of our initial crew of Coalition organizers live in and around the expected central-NH population centers of Nashua and Manchester. Accordingly, our meetings have largely rotated back and forth between these two cities. That said, this is a Coalition that aims to be true to its name, with a truly state-wide presence. To accommodate the full participation and inclusion of those who live elsewhere, we will be offering Virtual Meeting conference calls within a maximum of seven days of the in-person meeting and within the same calendar week as the in-person meeting whenever possible. Virtual Meetings will be open to any interested parties who reside in a different region from that in which the meeting was held or those who may reside in the same region but are restricted by work or family schedules. (Others who do not meet this criteria are welcome to join the Virtual Meetings, but will not receive attendance credit for doing so.)

Virtual Meetings will be hosted by at least one NHSC member who had been present at the initial meeting, and will include a full overview of the initial meeting’s agenda and minutes. A full discussion on all items will be offered, and supplementary minutes will be taken.

Expanding Meeting Rotation Territory

Whenever four or more interested organizers reside in a single region outside Manchester-Nashua, plans shall be drawn for conducting in-person meetings in that region on a regular basis, the frequency of which shall be determined by the total number of interested attendees. For example, at this time, we have already received the expressed interest of more than four individuals in Southwestern New Hampshire. Accordingly, we have already agreed to begin hosting every fourth NHSC meeting in the Keene area. During the week when a Keene meeting is conducted, the Virtual Meeting will then be opened up to include those in the Manchester-Nashua area.

Should we grow to numbers that support a substantial base of organizers in multiple regions, we will consider reconfiguring our model to include locally-operating branches, along with a process by which these separate branches are required to report initiative activity, progress, and long-term planning together with all other branches to ensure a consistent and cohesive Coalition operation statewide.

Scheduling Process

At each meeting, we shall settle on a probable date and location for the next meeting, which should be scheduled no less than two weeks in the future. Upon the posting of the Meeting Minutes, an event page shall be created for the next meeting, followed by attempts to schedule the corresponding Virtual Meeting.